The UFC’s ongoing play for the hearts and eyeballs of mainstream America means changing how the promotion and its fighters present and comport themselves. On a practical level, that has manifested itself in part in changes to the policy governing fighter sponsors.
Over the years, offbeat sponsors on T-shirts, hats and banners became a bit of a side attraction. Who can forget the once-ubiquitous Condom Depot ads? Even X-rated websites have slipped past the goalie once or twice.
But what was once quirky or strange becomes a problem under the brighter lights. As a result, the UFC (probably with the, eh, encouragement of FOX Sports) recently banned gun and ammo sponsorships. Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, these kinds of issues go with the terrain. It wasn’t the first time it happened. And it might not be the last.
But as they say, a door slams shut and a window opens. Suddenly there’s some empty real estate on those T-shirts and banners.
So why not take advantage by rushing in to fill that vacuum? Or, better yet, speculating wildly and possibly not entirely seriously about the most likely candidates to do such a thing?
There are all kinds of crazy companies out there that would probably leap at the chance to see their name and logo on the seat of a fighter’s shorts. What are those companies, and who would they sponsor?
Why don’t we take a look?
(h/t: MMAWeekly)